DIY Street Chalk

Imagine all the empty eggshells leftover after Easter egg hunting. Keep them all next time! Here’s a fun, creative and eco-friendly way to recycle them. You can create street chalk out of eggshells.  These chalks are good to draw on concrete, asphalt and stones. Use them to draw patterns for playing piko, patintero, tic-tac-toe and for creating your own sidewalk art.

Materials needed:

12 eggshells

6 teaspoons flour

Warm water

Food color

Mortar and pestle

Moulds such as ice cube trays, cookie cutters, polvoron shaper

Step 1: Wash and dry the eggshells. Peel off the inner membrane.

 

Step 2: Use a mortar and pestle to grind eggshells into fine powder. Transfer into a bowl.

Step 3: Add flour and water to form a very thick paste.

Step 4: Divide mixture into separate containers and add drops of food color on each container. Mix well until the color is evenly distributed.

Step 5: Roll to form cylinders or place eggshell mixture into moulds. Place on a flat surface and let them dry for 2 days. 

Note:A dozen eggshells will yield about 10 discs.

DIY Doll Table and Chair Set

Here's another amazing way to recycle toilet paper rolls into toys.   Turn those tubes into an easy-to-assemble set of miniature chairs and table that your kids (and dolls) would love. 

Material s needed:

Toilet paper tubes

Scissors

Cardboard

Old gift wrapper or any paper with a pretty print

Glue

Step 1: Cut tissue paper roll to make a “back rest” 

Step 2: Trace the end of the tube on a piece of cardboard to make a circle

Step 3: Cut to make a “seat”

Step 4: Use a small piece of gift wrapper to cover the “seat”

Step 5: Attach “seat” with tape

Step 6: Cut cardboard to form the top of the table

Step 7: Attach to toilet paper tube with tape 

I hope that this would inspire some DIY projects of your own!

Summer salad with bagoong vinaigrette

To any Filipino, nothing says summer more than a heaping bowl of sliced green mangoes and bagoong. A light and refreshing salad of typical greens with manggang hilaw and singkamas drizzled with a basic vinaigrette with shrimp paste gives this sweet, tangy and mildly spicy fare a uniquely Pinoy flavor. Wouldn't this be great for Easter brunch?

 

Ingredients:

Olive oil, ¾ cup

Apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup

Bagoong, ¼ cup

Honey, 2 tbsp

Salad greens

Green mangoes, sliced into long, thin strips

Turnips, sliced into long thin strips

Prawn crackers or kropek (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously to emulsify. Pour over salad greens, mangoes and turnips. Top with prawn crackers.  

Enjoy! Happy Easter, you guys!

Make your own faux taxidermy

Taxidermy is a fun and whimsical decorative element that could add style to your home. If you are grossed out by the idea of having a dead animal’s head sticking out of your wall but still want to be on trend with the taxidermy craze create your own version with items you already have around. How’s that for a green and animal-friendly project?

 

 

Materials needed:

Plastic bottles, bowls, spoons, thread spools, twigs, etc..

Cutter

Scissors

Glue gun

Cardboard boxes

Scrap paper, cut into small pieces

Cornstarch

Spray paint

Step 1: To make a basic "head" cut bottom part of a plastic bottle at a slight angle and attach to a plastic bowl to form a "snout". Adjust the length and angle of the "snout" depending on the form that you prefer.

 Step 2: Cut a notch on each sides of the rim of the bowl.

 

Step 3: Attach a plastic spoon on the notch created for the “ears”. Rummage through your recycling bin and play around with the different materials to come up with a configuration that you like.  Use old pasta tongs to create a moose’s “antlers”, thread spools to form “horns” --- use your imagination!    

Step 4: Cover by layering with strips of paper and cornstarch glue. *

 

Step 5: Let it dry and spray with paint.

Step 6: Attach taxidermy “head” to a cardboard box and mount on a wall.

*cornstarch glue recipe:

Dissolve cornstarch and water. Place over medium heat and stir continuously until the mixture thickens and becomes translucent. Turn off heat and let cool before using.